Water Rocket Forum

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A water rocket is a type of model rocket using water as its reaction mass. The pressure vessel (the engine of the rocket) is constructed from thin plastic or other non metallic materials (usually a used plastic soft drink bottle) weighing 1,500 grams or less. The water is forced out by compressed air. It is an example of Newton's third law of motion.

Hello guys,
To be honest..............this is my first launcher. I have read alot of forums and did some research to find what I thought was the best design.
For starters, you can see it is high pressure gas (liquid CO2) powered. This is because I have alot of different high pressure gases at my shop and chose this because of availability.
One of my nick names has been Macgyver, as I can see random objects and quickly find a new and sometimes better use for them. My shop has a room full of don't toss this yet "possible future project" stuff. Much of what you see here is from that room, just rearranged to launch rockets now. Much more fun, right? I have been very pleased with this launcher and my friend wants to build a launcher like it also. It has succesfully launched non reinforced bottles @ 150psi and will soon be launching re inforced bottles when finished. I will surely have to replace the main lead hose to be able to excede 300psi; but will launch at that pressure first before I purchase the hydraulic line for extreme pressure upgrade.
Lawn mower wheels, some scrap diamond plate, 50 foot hose reel, old speaker frame, 2" SS pipe, an old satellite dish aiming bracket, PVC pipe, cable ties, 1/16" cable, cable stops, barn nails 12", scrap pipe, wheel chair arm, small pullet, snap clevis, a stiff spring for a posative lock on the cable ties and some misc. hardware.
There is a simple anchor that has been made from a pipe cross drilled where 12" barn nails are hammered into the ground. These are remarkably strong and simple to remove actually with just a pull from a claw hammer used to put them in. This is very stable and holds the launcher perfectly.

These are most of the parts that I can tell without being to critcal. It took about a week to get them all together just right and the first launch was perfect. The pulley multiplies the pulling force and it it very east to launch @ 150psi. The wheel chair handle can adapt perfectly to any launch angle with quick simple button adjustments on the main support rod. The launch angle is easily adjusted with a large wingnut on the satellite bracket. I used a longer launch tube to accept rockets with long trailing fins like my Carbon Fiber rocket design. It has been a very rewarding project that has produced alot of fun.
I hope this gives you some ideas of your own.

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Yes, it is a Clark cable tie configuration; with several rugged and convienent upgrades.
The cable tie sleeve it self gripping/locking as it has a 1.5"od spring that returns it to a locked position. No accidental launches.

The base is a lightweight (nice when you have to lug this stuff out) 15" aluminum speaker frame. The launcher base is anchored by the cross nail tube underneath and the wingnut holds it really good. The upper launcher (tilt and Clark grip) can swivel in any direction on the base also to accomodate and weather changes.

I wanted to use a tiny cable to pull the release down and affixed them to the lock collar with cable stops for a very clean look.

The wheelchair arm is extendable and adapts to any launch angle without the pull cables needing any adjustment. This also keeps the launch arm up so the rope pull is not needing any tension to make ready.

I get so much satisfaction out of a project like this. It just keeps giving, year after year. Some of my other friends are Macgyver types too and are currently trying to make one for themselves having seen how much fun these are and inexspensive too. (not the bottle of course)